I Release You
by E.J. Cady
Summary: Tara fears these words and she's certain she'll hear them one day.
1. Chapter 1

One Shot...im rusty yet again…. don't crucify me.

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"There's a part of me that wishes that I never met her," Tara stared at the blond across the room.

Godric looked at his great granddaughter and smiled at the frown clouding her face. She was in love and bemused with no outlet, at least not a receptive blond she longed for.

"You would not be who you are without her," he stated in a white suit that had hints of Asian influence in the simple design.

"Is there something so great about me?" she asked sipping from her glass turning away from her maker flirting shamelessly with a prince from a neighboring vampire clan.

Pam wore a backless dress that stopped at mid thigh and open toe heels that reminded Tara of gladiator sandals from the period films. She wore red and black earrings and her hair hung over her shoulders in a blond curly flourish that framed her face.

"You are respected," Godric tried to console her with facts, "feared and fearless. You will live lifetimes and I have hopes that you will evolve in ways that your predecessors haven't acknowledged yet."

He eyed his son. Eric stood across the room from his sister, but he was close enough to keep a close eye on her from across the room. They were both beautiful pale blond children. Vastly different from Pam's brooding progeny when Pam had brought her home scared and angry he watched her adapt to the life well under his daughter's hard hand. She was fair and demanded respect through control and choice insults Godric didn't always agree with. But, his children were branching out. They were making families of their own and he watched from afar, but it seemed Tara's assimilation to Pam's open lifestyle wasn't cemented in her mind as acceptable.

Tara tried to shake the feelings inside of her, "she's doing this on purpose." Tara's dress was blue and strapless with a choker Pam had given her as a gift. The whole damn outfit had been a gift. And Tara only wore it to get noticed tonight. Unfortunately, it wasn't working.

"Don' t show her it upsets you."

"May I have this dance?" Tara didn't recognize the pale blond as belonging to the regular crowd Eric and Pam brought around the mansion. Then she saw the signet ring on her right hand. She was a Dedrich. The prince's sister she thought ruefully glaring daggers in his direction as Pam hung on his arm shamelessly.

Godric nodded his head dismissing Tara who had wished he had declined. Now that he had given his permission there was no way she could say no.

Tara took her hand and Sookie guided her to the dance floor. "You look beautiful," she whispered when they were pressed into each other.

Tara pulled away trying to keep a respectable distance despite their proximity.

"Thanks," she answered offhandedly still working on her etiquette.

Sookie chuckled, "I hate these things. They're not fooling anyone," she nodded toward Godric and her father who had begun speaking with Tara's clan father. "They give us the semblance of choice all the while they expect some kind of love connection," she scowled.

Tara didn't think the frown fit for such a delicate face. She decided not to say. In fact she opted to stay quiet while the smaller blond took control of the conversation. Her silence was easy until Sookie brought up her maker.

"Pam and your brother?" the dark skinned woman scoffed at the idea of her maker settling down when Sookie offhandedly mentioned a match. "I don't see that happening."

"Why not? They make a beautiful couple."

Tara set her jaw.

Sookie smiled at her knowingly, "I feel the same way," she stroked the dark vampires arm slightly consolingly. "I think we can help each other with that."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Tara wanted to pull away. Though, her curiosity was piqued.

Sookie nodded to a neighboring couple gliding by them. Then she replied, "an alliance through marriage. Every one's doing it nowadays."

Tara almost pulled away. Her eyes immediately found Pam who was now standing with Eric no longer smiling, but looking extremely annoyed about something.

"Why? We don't…" the young vampire stopped herself knowing that her next words might sound naïve.

Sookie giggled, "That's cute. You've been with your maker and her family for over a hundred years and they keep so much from you."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Tara defended even when she knew Sookie was right.

Tara ducked her head this time successfully pulling away, "thanks for the dance," she managed before she escaped the suffocating throng and found the balcony.

She stared at the grounds without seeing them. She wanted the night to end and hideaway somewhere dark to feel less exposed than she already did. It was so much simpler when she was young and innocent, well as innocent as a newborn vampire can be. Pam never left her side. She was completely attentive until one day after a long heated morning Tara woke up alone in her chambers. Tara would never know what happened, that is until Pam became forthcoming about why she had left so abruptly and afterward and barely acknowledged the vampires existence.

The moon shined overhead washing her with an ominous glow that matched her demeanor. She didn't have substance, she felt like a shadow. She crooked her head examining the crowd with a cursory glance. This wasn't her world. Marriage and politics went hand in hand and she couldn't maneuver either, not in the way they could. She didn't hate herself for it nor did she entertain inadequacy for it anymore. She was a different breed she smirked at the thought. Godric had planted that seed in her head from the beginning but only a hundred years into her second life did she understand what he meant.

"Hiding out?"

Tara didn't turn around.

Franklin found a spot in the corner he liked and made a temporary home there with a glass, a bottle, and his phone. He played in silence with his phone at a modest volume. Tara looked over at him in the shadows illuminated by the light of his touch screen when she realized he was playing a game. It sounded familiar, but the name was lost to her. When was the last time she had played a game?

"What are you playing?" she stared ahead at the clouds to seem less invested in the answer.

The curly haired Englishman in black looked up quickly, "Candy crush."

Tara snorted before turning her body to him fully. An elbow rested on stone. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," he looked up smirking, "it's rather addicting."

The dark skinned vampire shrugged, "I haven't played it in years," she stepped forward.

"Damn!" he cursed slamming the game on his lap. He held it up in explanation realizing how his reaction might have looked, "terribly sorry for that outburst. I've got to wait thirty minutes before I can have another go. Which means thirty minutes of stomaching that," he pointed a crooked finger to the mingling crowd beyond the glass double doors he walked through to escape like Tara did.

"You sound like you hate this as much as I do."

He shook his head, "more." He turned away from the theatrics of a voluptuous vampire and introduced himself, "I'm Franklin."

She pointed to her chest, "Tara."

"The Tara," Franklin insisted tapping his phone in a random tune Tara didn't recognize.

"No, just Tara," she stated.

"Oh, but you must know you're the talk of the proverbial town. You're a practical black sheep. No pun intended," he added when he saw her body shift and stiffen from anger. "Forgive me, occasionally I overstep my bounds without realizing. That's why I'm terrible at these parties. What vampire in their right mind would have anything to do with me?" he shrugged, "and my living doesn't make courting ideal."

"What do you do?" Tara didn't know him and it had occurred to her she had never seen him before today. She was usually good with faces. She always had been since she was younger. What good was revenge if one forgot the people who wronged her?

"I assassinate people, fairies, vampires, and werewolves, basically everything without and with a pulse for a hefty price."

Tara's eyes narrowed, "really?"

"I'm not as versed in bullshit as my cousins when it comes to politics. My maker was a very perceptive vampire. He told me I had dead eyes. From the day he made me he knew I would be a killer.

"And you accepted it just like that?"

Franklin gave her an odd look, "why wouldn't I? I don't remember my former life, but obviously there was something about me that made him think I would be perfect for this line of work. And I am. He was right." He ventured, "have you ever killed?"

"For money? No."

"When you did kill did you enjoy it?"

Tara turned to him directly, "why?"

"Death is my favorite subject. Sometimes I get carried away and forget not everyone appreciates it like I do." He checked his phone. Thirty minutes hadn't passed yet. "I saw you dancing with my cousin."

"Yea," Tara nodded confirming his observation though she had been unaware this stranger was related to Sookie, "she's graceful."

"You don't have to mince words with me. You're in good company. The depth of my relationship with them starts and ends with blood. That's the case for most families in my opinion." He met Tara's brown eyes speaking earnestly, "so if you want to call her a cherub faced harpy it wouldn't go any further than this balcony."

Tara didn't trust him so she didn't take him up on his offer.

"There you are," Sookie came up behind Tara. "I wondered where you went off to." She noticed Franklin in the shadows and her smile widened, "cousin."

"Cousin," the pale man returned darkly.

"You got in so late I didn't think you would attend."

"Uncle insisted I show my face. I'm glad I did," he jumped from his perch and started toward Tara holding out his hand, "it was interesting."

Tara shook his hand crumbling the card in her fist he handed off surreptitiously before he left Sookie and Tara on the balcony alone. The shorter vampire claimed a seat in a glass chair the belonged to an outside set.

"Getting cozy with the family?"

"I'm not interested," Tara stated.

"You haven't even let me pitch the high points of the arrangement," Sookie admonished her pouting.

"I don't care."

"You care about your maker don't you? And if she marries into my family it'll be one of the biggest mistakes of her undead life. My brother, he's a charmer, but deep down he's a sadist and not in the whip me once or twice and then get down to business sadistic."

"Pam can handle herself," Tara stated retreating to the corner Franklin had just left reading the business card he put into her hand.

"She's releasing you from your bond. You have no prospects for marriage. You haven't proven yourself really to be anything more than a glorified lap dog for your family. When she releases you do you think she'll want you to stay?"

Tara glared in the dark clenching her fist. This was the first time she had heard this. Pam might have ignored her, but she never thought the woman would actually free her. The bond was her last connection to the life she had before Pam ruined it by closing herself off. Everything had been going so well, and now this.

Sookie examined the tense stance. She didn't have to look at Tara's face to know that her job was done. She had planted a seed of uncertainty. It wasn't important to her that Tara marry her. It was all a game. A game that the dark skinned vampire fell into she thought self satisfied when she felt the gust of wind from Tara speeding passed her to the room. She turned her head knowing she hadn't gone far. And as she expected she found her with Pam.

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"Is it true?" Tara asked swallowing nervously. She could handle the silence and the dead stares in her direction. At least she wasn't shutting Tara off completely from the older vampire. But if she freed her, what else was there?

Pam and Eric turned to the younger vampire.

"What are you talking about? Is what true?" Pam stared at Tara bored. The smile she had given Eric fell into an indifferent line and Tara hated the jealousy she felt.

"You want to release me."

Pam looked beyond her shoulder to the room, "this isn't the time or the place to discuss this."

"Tell me," Tara's voice began to rise turning curious and severe stares in their direction.

Eric grabbed her by her shoulder and she shrugged away from his guided hand. Startled by the force she stepped back to steady herself tripping over a half naked server spilling blood and cream on her in the fall. A plethora of expressions danced overhead, but she was only concerned with Pam who let Eric pull her away from the mess. Standing finally embarrassed for the scene and for even being there she left the main room registering the laughter and murmurings behind her.

She ran down the steps of the mansion avoiding the stares of humans and vampires because she was an interestingly delicious sight. She skids to a stop on the rocks unable to go any further. She didn't have anywhere to go she thought despondently. A hundred years made it easy to forget the pain of rejection from her human life. For the most part under Pam's wing she was sheltered, but she didn't mind because it was the safest she felt in a long time. And now it was all being taken away from her.

She felt Godric. He was behind her. She didn't want him, but she met his stern gaze nonetheless. She didn't look over his shoulder. Though, when she had Pam was walking down the steps with her Prince and Sookie in tow. Eric was already to the car. It was time to leave.

The ride home was quiet. Tara could feel the rage emanating from Pam and pressed closer to the door knowing it wouldn't save her from her maker's wrath when they were behind closed doors. Pam never admonished Tara publicly. She never humiliated her in front of an audience and the hopeful part of Tara was felt joy that there was still some part of Pam that cared enough about her to restrain her rage.

Tara was seated beside Pam across from Godric and Eric. The thin Viking smirked at her with red lips. It seemed he had taken the prince up on his offer on a taste of his exotic collection. Tara understood why Pam liked his company. He was charismatic, excruciatingly handsome, charming and he had a name and money. But, why did she have to free her?

The car rolled to a stop. Tara exited the car. She stayed in a little warehouse just before the mansion. She moved there thirty years ago when Pam suggested that she find a space of her own. Everyone had made a place in mansion and it felt like one more personality might ruin the style and order. She had learned a lot over the last hundred years, but the last few Tara had regressed into old habits of a loner lifestyle. She planted her feet on the stone trudging to the door of the warehouse when she heard the car door open and close behind her.

She left the warehouse door open for Pam to follow.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Pam began her tirade before she crossed the threshold. "Do you have any fucking clue how stupid you made us look tonight?" She didn't wait for Tara to answer, because she wasn't concerned about Tara's answer, "You're lucky Godric smoothed things over with our host. You acted like a child, a spoiled stupid child!"

Tara glared at the ground. That was her plan to glare at the ground until she finished. Then she felt like she had been there before and she needed to lash out. So she did. Pam wasn't the woman she loved anymore. She was a shadow of a threat without a face or an outline, just a mass that Tara wanted, no needed, to shut up. She sped to Pam and slammed her body into the back of the couch and as if the cool skin and triggered clarity Tara saw that she was now inches away from her maker. They hadn't been this close in a long time. She couldn't even remember the last time Pam had let her touch her. Her hard grip softened and her eyes mirrored her hands change closing in on the hooded eyes aroused on instinct.

Pam attempted to pull away. Tara wouldn't let her. She hadn't tasted her in so long. She needed at least one taste. If it was true, if she was to be freed then she needed to feel her maker, love her maker one last time.

Dark hands slid up Pam's dress closing in on the soft roundness of her backside. Tara squeezed it and Pam opened her mouth pulling away when Tara tried to cement her seduction with a kiss. Pam wouldn't give in even though her legs had spread wide enough to for Tara to fit.

Images of everything Tara wanted to do to Pam filled her head and she calmed herself down before she scared them both with the veracity in which she wanted to take her maker. She attacked the older vampire's neck. Nail's painted black dug into Tara's neck sinking in deep enough to make her bleed.

They devoured each other after tearing at bothersome hindrances like clothes and insecurities they were naked on the ground missing the couch by inches. Tara didn't care about accuracy grinding her pelvis in Pam as she toyed with a nipple between her teeth reveling in the feeling of Pam's legs wrapped around her possessively.

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Sookie might have been toying with her the other night. Since that evening Pam had barely left her side. In the beginning when the passion took hold and things like reason were put on the shelf she thought that whatever had been lost had by some strange turn of events been found again. She liked tracing her finger along Pam's back down to the modest slope of her buttocks. She like hearing the whimpers she entered her from behind wet and ready for Tara's fist inside her. She loved watching her body rise up and her legs spread and seeing Pam's body lunge into her eager hand.

All these distractions in a matter of days, and finally now while Pam slept beside her with her arms wrapped around the naked goodness of this woman did she feel the grip of fear taking hold. Why now? Why had she come to her bed after all this time? Tara had tried seduction before and failed. Pam had even been so vindictive on occasion blatantly flirting and teasing potential lovers in front of Tara. Why now? She repeated in her head pulling away from the soft skin she would have rather sink inside and never come out of. Why now?

She found jeans and a shirt tugging them on. Godric insisted the warehouse have the same UV protection the mansion did shielding them from the light harm of the sun while they still could enjoy it. When Tara died she thought she'd never see the sun again. But, in truth she would never feel it's warmth on her skin. She pressed her hand on the cool glass and where the light came in and wondered what her next move would be. She had spent four days in bed with the woman she wanted more than anything. She was over savoring the sensations and now her curious mind wanted to know why.

There were a few instances where Pam slowed down to study her. Her fingers were pinching Tara's lips together in a firm grip stroking her clit using the cushion of her lips as friction.

"Fuck," Tara remembered whispering spreading her legs still stretching to find the point where she felt like her legs where open wide enough.

"Look at me," Pam ordered.

Tara wasn't listening.

"Look. At. Me." Pam ordered again.

This time the dark skinned woman heard her and complied. Brown met blue an intimate contract that neither woman voiced for fear of committing sacrilege. The moment was perfect. Pam was inside Tara. Inside her in ways she could never acknowledge aloud because there were no words in her vocabulary to voice just how deeply she was impacted.

"I…" Tara moaned.

Pam's ministrations had become more insistent cutting Tara off from saying something damning.

Tara thought about what she would have said if she hadn't been distracted. She knew what the words were and she bit them back as she realized that the perfect world they had created in four days would crumble soon. She didn't know what Pam wanted, but she knew that whatever it was didn't coincide for the future in Tara's head. She wanted a simple and uncomplicated life. Pam loved the intrigue of politics and what better way to stay at the heart of it if she were to confirm the rumors swimming around her and the prince of the Dedrich clan.

"What the hell am I doin?" Tara rubbed her face with tired hands. One last look at the bed and she headed to the back of the warehouse down steps that led to a underground cavern that led to the main house. In an adjacent passageway it led to the city.

The sun would be going down soon. Somewhere in between drunk off their reunion and entertaining paranoia she contacted Franklin. He had explained the card was a job offer. There was something different about their sex last night. It was slow and dangerously desperate on Pam's part. It scared Tara enough to agree to a meeting to discuss working for Franklin.

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Tara watched Franklin from afar at first. He didn't notice patrons passing him or the glances that his server gave him every time he slammed his fist on the table shaking the plates, glass, and silverware. Amused Tara took the seat in front of him. He didn't even look up to acknowledge.

"I'm glad you came," he stated still playing.

Tara shrugged shoving her hands in her coat pocket leaning back into the seat. "I had nothing better else to do today," she half lied. She would have loved to lay in bed in the temporary bliss with her lover, but her questions were beginning to drive her insane. There was only so much more faking she could do when they weren't both laying sweaty and speechless.

"I'm sure," Franklin smirked as if he knew what she had been up to all along. She dipped her head smelling herself to be certain she didn't smell like sex. "Why are you here?"

"I'm good at hurting things," Tara answered honestly.

He tilted his hand as if moving the phone would improve the chances of getting four candy combinations in a row, "that's very vague."

"It's my life story," she shrugged.

She wore nonchalance like a second skin to hide what he wasn't certain. He had guessed that she lived a hard life. But hadn't they all. It made them more deserving of an eternity because they had more to work towards. Then again, he didn't put much stock in happy endings either.

"Do you like it?"

"I can stomach it."

He cursed under his breath before he gave Tara his undivided attention tossing the phone on the table hitting his plate.

"In my line of work you don't ask questions," He clarified, "you just do whatever is necessary. At the end of the day it's about the paycheck."

"I figured that—"

"Don't come into this thinking you know what you're getting into," he interrupted her sternly. He was a killer, a remorseless killer and while many had the skills very few had the mind to do what he did mercilessly. "I've killed women, children, old people without batting a eye lash. Can you?"

The conversation hadn't gone in the direction she expected, but she didn't know what exactly to expect. Franklin was a killer. A well paid and probably very good at his job type killer and still he had more worth in this world than she did. Pam would let her go and Godric would keep her around out of pity. Pity she could live without. Being let she would rather not go through that pain. Driven by a clouded mix of anger and fear the words came out and she hadn't realized she had said them until Franklin studied her minutes later in his vehicle driving away from her home—away from the words "I release you".


	2. Chapter 2

Tara ran because she was afraid and in part she wanted to deserve Pam and exceed the low expectations of her maker's society. Franklin was an attentive teacher and impatient for the most part, but fortunately it evened out when Tara quickly learned from her mistakes. Killing quite frankly was easy. She'd never had the inclination to become a killer for hire, but as a vampire she held certain skills which humans, fae, werewolf, and vampire found useful when they wanted someone killed. So, under more stringent rules of her mentor she began to excel in the trade as a gun for hire so to speak. All that time while she was evolving into someone different—a killer—Pam wasn't far from her thoughts.

She had almost expected her maker to come after her, praying that she wouldn't because she didn't know if she'd be able to refuse Pam's wishes. Even worse there was still the matter of being released and that blow she could not live with, not when she cared so deeply. There were other women of course and some men that shared her bed, but none for longer than she needed them to be there. She had made a mess of her love life which in turn made her strive for better in every other aspect of her life. For Tara the structure made her feel sane when everything else did not.

"Are you about done yet?" Franklin stood in the opening of her room in their suite glaring at her impatiently.

When they first began working together she took his glares to heart until she realized it was his resting face. The man rarely smiled and it suited him which in turn suited her.

"Almost," she stated in the mirror putting on her heels and. She stood in them growing in height inspecting herself in the full length mirror.

"You look like a girl," her partner commented.

"I am a fucking girl," she ground out.

Pushing off the door he shrugged, "bloody hell you are aren't you?"

She held up her middle finger before she collected the small purse that matched her crimson strapless dress with a split on the side to show her thigh.

In the car Franklin briefed her on who to expect at the party and her target was an affluent human named Daniel Lesaron who'd been building relations with vampires especially building vampire friendly hotels and working on his own factories of Artificial Blood.

"Our employer wants you to get close to him," Franklin looked at her pointedly, "be friendly."

"I didn't get into the business of killing to make friends."

"Well this one is an exception," he shrugged, "we lend our services to our loyal clients anyway we can—we don't say no when we get a paycheck to live like the rich and famous."

"Fuck the rich and famous."

Franklin smiled, "too right," sobering, "even still I expect you to utilize all that home training I'm sure you're mommy instilled in you."

Tara pursed her lips glaring at her partner.

He responded with an apathetic look from the road to her—he knew he'd hit a nerve, but he really didn't care. Tara could be very sensitive about her maker, it was a weakness, and a potential threat to him the sooner she got over the better.

"You know it's been six months."

"I don't want to talk about it," the dark skinned vampire ground out.

"I don't want to discuss it either, hell, I'd rather you'd burn and bury your issues send them far the fuck away from me, but you got shit you still sore about and it ain't going to do you any good to hold onto it."

Tara didn't speak. And Franklin was done preaching. When they arrived at the two story building they were asked for their invitations. From the inside of his black suit he reached for the invitations his employer supplied him with and a curt nod from security gave them permission to enter.

With one arm around his they scanned the crowd looking over humans and vampires with the stench of men wafting off their thousand dollar outfits. Tara wanted to vomit because she'd attended parties like these before and it was always accompanied by a feeling that she didn't belong. But, she couldn't show that here. Here she was conducting business swallowing her reservations about talking to people she normally wouldn't have.

"There," Franklin pointed with a finger sipping from his glass.

Tara looked in the opposite direction and then gracefully craned her neck to where Franklin first pointed and saw their target. He was an older man with glasses and a shiny bald head sandwiched with a thin mane of white hair.

"He looks like old money," Tara observed.

Franklin grunted, "good time as any to introduce yourself," he took her arm and Tara let him guide her to the small group their host surrounded himself around. Passing by and smiling they became engaged in nonsensical conversation, only for show, when Tara accidentally on purpose bumped into Mr. Lesaron when he turned without warning to address someone.

"Oh my, I'm sorry," her host said apologizing for the damage to her dress.

Tara wide eyed looked down and Franklin, playing her concerned date, gave Daniel a hard and disapproving look, "look what you've done," he shook his head.

"What's going on here?" a tall brunette entered the picture in a striking turquoise gown. "Come, let's get you cleaned up," she drew Tara away from prying eyes and Daniel took Franklin aside while they left.

"You're a mess," the strange woman's words echoed in the bathroom where she and Tara disappeared to see if they could clean up her dress.

"Yea," the vampire agreed.

"I'll have my dry cleaner attend to it. In the mean while why don't we go shopping and get you a new one."

Tara stopped scrubbing at the dress and her paper towels folded into a ball in her fists, "what?"

The woman looked at her wrist, "I own a boutique thirty or so minutes from here. We can have you looking ravishing again in no time—the night is young."

The vampire was confused as to who this woman was and declined.

"Forgive me," the woman began to explain, "I'm Maryann Forrester, Daniel's ex and occasional PR person when I need to be. I assure you it's in the best interest of everyone involved that he's not seen disrespecting a vampire or any species. I understand the politics can get very serious."

"So, you're going to buy me a dress?" Tara asked still confused even though this woman's identity was cleared up she wasn't very trusting of her intentions.

There was a knock at the door and it opened and Franklin's voice could be heard, "Tara darling are you alright?"

Sending a glance to Maryann Tara went to the door explaining the dress was a disaster and Maryann's offer. He looked in the general direction of where Maryann leaned against the sink and nodded his head to give Tara the go ahead. He managed to point out a few key facts that made it more appealing in Daniel's case to get to know him. Everything Franklin said was true about his family even though it wasn't common knowledge in certain circles what he did for a living.

"Go on then," he said so that Maryann could hear. Her heels could be heard as she joined Tara at the door.

"It's settled then," she passed Franklin and told Tara she would meet her outside. The pale dark haired vampire followed her and Tara outside reminding his partner, "be nice."

"I heard you the first time."

"Just because you heard me doesn't mean you listened," he adjusted his collar, "I hate suits."

"You just hate looking civilized."

He snarled, "it's an overrated look."

"Look at that," a jaguar came rolling to a stop where Franklin and Tara stood outside, "next time I get the blood spilled on me."

"Not a chance," Tara stated.

Maryanne's boutique was a collection of thousand dollar dresses the contract killer took in with a measure of awe. They were walking around in relative darkness when the brunette put in the code and after a few minutes where she was gone in the back the lights came on.

"Let there be light," the owner joked jingling keys. "The dressing rooms back there."

Tara looked around at the dresses and choosing one at random she grabbed it only to have the shop owner confiscate it. Brown eyes looked at her questioningly as the woman shook her head, "I have something else in mind," her eyes glittered and she pushed Tara took the back telling her to undress and wait for her.

With mild curiosity Tara did as she was told find the back dressing rooms to be large and spacious with several mirrors on the walls to look at herself from every angle. In a bra and panties she stood waiting while the dress was placed carefully on floor so the blood would touch anything it could stain.

"Here we are," Maryanne returned later with a dress.

"You don't know my size," Tara took the garment anyway.

Maryanne studied her body with an appreciate gaze that Tara didn't miss.

"How long have you known Daniel?" she felt better talking than being watched quietly.

The brunette shrugged, "long enough to know his likes and his dislikes, but not enough to really know him if that makes sense."

Tara paused, "I can relate to that."

"With your boyfriend?"

Stepping into the dress she pulled the straps over her shoulders and Maryanne came forward to help herself to the wrinkles she insisting on straightening—including the imaginary ones.

"He's not my boyfriend," Tara corrected looking at the bowed head of the helpful shop owner.

"Oh," was all the answer Maryanne gave as she zipped up the black dress for her. Then her eyes rose meeting Tara's not all sorry to hear the news, "beautiful."

Taken aback by the comment Tara dropped her gaze suddenly shy.

"No one's ever told you that before?"

The vampire could have lied, but then her first response had already given her away.

"Not lately."

"Then you've been around the wrong people," she stated playing with Tara's hair now as she placed it neatly over her shoulders completing the look she was going for, "perhaps it's time for a new crowd of friends."

"Perhaps," Tara indulged.

"It's settled then," the woman moved away careful with the garment as she grabbed it from the floor.

"What's settled?"

"Lunch tomorrow," the woman said in an as a matter of fact fashion, like they were on the topic and Tara was the one who wasn't keeping up.

The dark skinned woman raised her brows.

Immediately correcting herself, "right, you don't really do day time," she continued, "fine then you'll have dinner at my place." She left no room to argue and Tara didn't.

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Surprise! Stuck on one story I got ideas for another one I've been flirting with the idea of revisiting


	3. Chapter 3

"I think someone's sweet on you," Franklin teased closing the door behind him when they returned to their suite.

Tara didn't bother to comment taking her heels off and tossing them into her room unceremoniously. Franklin followed her in the room with his shirt unbuttoned at the top and his hands resting in his jacket pockets. He watched Tara undress and tilted his head and she moved around her room neither of them concerned with her lack of clothing.

"She's your type you know," he continued.

"Type?" Tara turned on him as she went to the bathroom getting ready for a nice hot shower.

"Yea, you know, what you'd want to come home to everyday type."

Tara gave him a look starting the shower, "fuck off Franklin."

He went further into the room sitting on the edge of the bed, "hear me out," he raised his voice so he could be heard over the rushing water. "She's an older woman, well, she would be an older woman if you were human—she's got an air of sophistication and worldliness to her that's a mix of self control, but you know there's a hint of something naughty about her."

"I don't do humans," she threw out as she got in the shower.

Franklin pursed his lips, "well, she's you're in so you bloody well better start."

"Why, I thought Lesaron had a hard on for your family name when you were talking."

"He did, but since his ex wife has taken a liking to you that's two avenues we can exploit, besides this might get you laid.

"What?"

"My god Tara, has it been so long you've forgotten what's it's called?" He rose from the bed chuckling on his way.

Tara heard him leave rolling her eyes at the comedian. Enjoying the burning water on her skin she stared aimlessly at the tile as she thought about her type. Her type had changed over the years. She'd always had a nagging attraction to older women she remembered her first crush was her grade school guidance counselor and after that there were string of authority figures that caught her attention. Over the years she dated several women of different ages and sizes and backgrounds. There was a long line of women before Tara felt like Pam was the one. Was it because of their bond? Was it genuine attraction? Or was it the older woman fetish?

She didn't know. She turned her back to the shower let it beat down on her. She didn't know and she didn't care. Every time she thought about Pam it made her tired. And there were time when she didn't feel tired, but she examined their dynamic and wondered why she had fallen so hard for someone who didn't want her? Perhaps it was the forbidden fruit complex?

She turned the water off and toweled herself off. When she was dry she got into her bed and a button so the blinds could close and shroud the room in complete black. Dropping onto her she bounced before she settled under the blankets.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maryann glared at her watch. Tara was late, by fifteen minutes she was late. The waiter had come by three times already and she finally caved for a one drink while she waited. She promised herself at the last drop of it succumbed she would get up and leave. Now she was sips from her last drop and still no sign or word from Tara. Standing up she paid her bill adding as tip. Collecting her purse and jacket she started toward the double doors that lead to the parking lot so the attendant could get her car.

"Hey," Tara jogged toward Maryann as soon as she opened the car door.

She glanced at the vampire and then got in the driver seat anyway. Tara caught the door before the brunette could slam it shut surprising the woman as she stared at the hand holding it at bay.

"Lightening quick reflexes remember," Tara smirk widening the door.

Maryann got out, "that might have come in handy," she checked her wrist watch, "twenty minutes ago."

Tara eyed the woman's watch, "I'm sorry I'm late."

"There's a lot you don't know about me Tara, but if we're going to be friends then I would for you to remember one thing—I hate when people keep me waiting. Sitting alone assuring a disbelieving waiter that the second party is on it's way."

"I was," Tara rushed. "Something came up."

"And you couldn't have called?"

"No I couldn't have," Tara stared sincerely.

"Do I get a better explanation than that?"

"No, just an apology."

"Then we're done here I think," she was about to return to the driver's seat, but Tara's hand on her waist stopped her.

Pushing her against her car the flat of Maryann's hands were presses against the window while Tara's nose dipped down and inhaled the woman's perfume from behind, "where are you going?" she asked.

"Home," Maryann impressed herself by sounding more in control than she felt.

Tara turned her around unceremoniously and her eyes roamed over her body noticing every detail of her arousal like her twitching pulse and her hammering heart. With the vampire's hands sandwiching the woman on each sides she wondered where to go from there. Tara had come to this with no preconceived notions of getting this woman in bed or even enjoying herself, she was following orders. Pushing a bang that fell into Maryanne's left eye away she watched fascinated by the hitch in her breath.

Maryann was enjoying this. It would be easy just to take her home and do whatever she wished, hell, with how ready she looked Maryann might not mind if she bent her over in the backseat and had her way with her Tara mused to herself.

Pushing off the car she stepped away closing the door and commandeering the woman's keys pressing the button to lock it. Placing the keys in her jacket pocket she moved away giving the woman breathing room as she stated, "let's eat."

Maryann was a woman used to having control she'd ready over the woman's files about her work history, school, and her past relationships. She was attracted to strong men, but in the end she always ended it because something was off. Did she feel like they couldn't handle her? A vampire was fairly new territory for her—the boutique owner was fascinated and Tara would use that to her advantage. Curiosity was her weakness and Maryann's desire to be conquered because of her own unfulfilled fantasies gave Tara an opening to implant herself in the life of a woman who made such a large impact on her target. Her bosses would be happy.

Straightening her clothes she moved cautiously from her car, "my purse is in the car."

Tara took her arm, "I'm paying."


End file.
